


Problems After The Problem

by JuanAmador



Category: Lockwood & Co. - Jonathan Stroud
Genre: F/M, Post-Canon, Relationship Problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2020-09-07 02:11:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20301736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JuanAmador/pseuds/JuanAmador
Summary: It has been five years after the fall of Melissa Fittes. What has the gang been up to, but most importantly what has Lucy and Anthony been up to?





	1. Chapter 1

I sat in the company car that has been parked some ways away from the shady hotel, but still in plain view of the door. Well the front one anyways. I took a sip of my, at this point, cold and tasteless coffee. "Ugh. Come on George, would it kill you to not get the instant coffee." I said to no one. I checked my watch and wondered where he was anyways, he should came by now. I sat in silence with only the soft pitter patter of rain to break the silence. I stared into nothing and remembered back to my ghost hunting days with the gang.

It was been five short years since the Fall Of Fittes as the papers put it. The DEPRAC went though and cleaned up as much as possible. They made progress with repairing what damages the the Fittes Agency committed in there name of Penelope and there efforts have not gone unnoticed. It was a slow change, but a change never the less. The ghosts started to show less frequent and the were less powerful; it was actually a good thing that the Fittes Agency absorbed most of the little agencies since The Problem went away the giant company that the Fittes Agency become actually kept more agents in the field then if there several small agencies who cannibalized themselvs though lack of work.

Business was great after the Fall. With our names just about posted everywhere; people came from all around just to have us be their ghost hunters. We been to France, Italy, Scotland, Germany, Ireland, and Spain. We been in papers, books, tv, and movies at one point. Lockwood and George wrote a few books, hell even I wrote one. It was an amazing time, but like everything else it didn't last. We......I thought I was special, maybe it was the fact that I could talk with Skull, or the fact that I was center of it all. However I was just like everyone else. I grew up and my powers faded, all of ours did. Lockwood went first, then George, Holly, and then me. Thank God Holly helped us though by changing our business, but not too much.

Lockwood &Co. stayed Lockwood &Co., but now we instead of investigating the dead, we now investigate the living. Although it was completely different there was some similarities between the both: late nights, fights, stakeouts, reading, and interviews. Lockwood's charisma, George's thoroughness, Holly's neatness, Quill's experience, Flo's connections and my.....toughness we adapted and we stayed together.

On night like this I often wondered what the Skull would say to me over the years. Probably call me a stuck up and stop talking to me. The jar still sits on a shelf in my bedroom covered in dust. I kept it clean for awhile, but soon after me cleaning it became less and less frequent. With all the ghost almost gone I'm sure that he would not be coming back. I do miss him from time to time. A knock on the window made jump and look over to Lockwood's face looking in. I acted as if I didn't see him before I leaned over and unlocked the door.

"Thanks Luce, I thought you were going to leave me or there." Lockwood said as he closed the door. 

"I should after you got me nothing for my birthday, but I would just have to trust you, don't I?" I said to him spitefully.

Lockwood just held up a small bag and a steaming cup of coffee. "I got stopped by your favorite cafe and just made fresh cup coffee for you." 

I looked over to him and he gave his Lockwood smile that he gave to all the new clients we get. I grabbed the bag and the cup. "I still haven't forgave you." I pulled out a muffin and started to eat it.

Oh yeah I should tell you me and Lockwood have been dating for past four years. It surprised me that Lockwood would go for someone as plain as me, but it was no surprise to anyone else. The three years were great, but the honeymoon was over as they say. I guess I was foolish to think that we would last. 

"I know we have been going though.....a rough patch. Ever George and Flo moved out of the office it has been...empty with just us." Lockwood said awkwardly.

I just hummed in acknowledgement as I took a drink from the coffee. After the ghost started to go away the need for relicmen dropped. Flo needed a new line of business and I think she was still scared from the time George got attack by Fittes' men. She moved in with us. We didn't have a spare rooms for sleep in besides the basement; although it never matter since the day she moved in she made a beeline to George's room and stayed in there. She never did pick up a rapier again and she worked as a relicmen until her senses went away too. Lockwood was able convince her that investigating humans where not the same as investigating ghost so she finally joined Lockwood &Co. Her underground contacts had helps us more then once. Not to mention that George always seem to do better when she was around. It was weird living with a couple: them exiting the bathroom together, when their clothes were rumpled, his hair messier then usual, when Flo had that glow about her, not to much the late night noises that I heard when I went to the bathroom at night. 

Flo never warmed up to me, but she never warmed to anyone expect for George. We lived repecting each other spaces and lifestyle. Once Lockwood and I started to date it got less awkward between us. Less worrying about what the other was doing and more about what we were doing. Of course I'm sure that they had similar experiences with us like we did with them. They moved out soon and got the place to ourselves which was great. Aslong as kept it outside the kitchen and office we could do anything wherever wanted to. It was clumsy at first but we learnt alot about each other. A few months ago Lockwood had began to act differently trying we seemed to staying in more often and he been taking more job the he usually does. When I asked him about he told that he was saving up some money for something and that I should trust him. I did, but that still didn't stop me from using my new snooping around for clues, but didn't find any. 

"So any sight of the husband?" Lockwood asked, breaking the silence. 

"No."

We fell back in too silence.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.

"Well I was going to wait for our anniversary, but I think if now is going to be a better time." Lockwood said as he reached onto his inner coat pocket and pulled out an envelope. 

"What's this? Divorce papers?" I asked as I took it and opened it.

"Remeber our first kiss?"

I opened the envelope and saw a plane ticket to Italy. The memory came rushing back.

It was sunrise. Me and Lockwood were sitting outside. We locked ourselves out in a balcony. We were running away from a ghost and we went though any door see could see and shut it behind us. It has seen three hours since then, and the sun was coming over the skyline. Lockwood had told me to rest my head on his shoulders to rest. I couldn't fall asleep with him so close. It felt right. It felt nice. I turned to him and he turned too. We locked eyes and we just leaned in and kissed. Looking back it was a bad kiss, but we have made our improvements over time. Quill had interpreted us with his frog goggles, but he had seen us. He asked me out as soon as he got back home and I said yes before he finished the question. 

"Lockwood." I said softly.

"With the money we saved and the extra jobs I have been doing; we should have enough money to spend two weeks there no problem." He said looking at me.

I looked up and Lockwood speechless. "Wow I was just going to get you a new coat and boots." I looked back at the plane tickets "I have been bitch haven't I?"

"It fine. Blind trust is hard to come by. I still worry when you tell me that 'you have it"." 

"Still. This is a great present." I sat in silence.

"Tell you what you want to make it up to me?" Lockwood asked holding me hand. "Forget all this, and just have a great time with me in Italy."

I looked up I lean over to kiss him, but stopped before our lips met. The husband of you client just walked by us, not really looking at us.

"There's our mark." I whispered as watched him past us. 

We didn't move as watched him walked in the hotel. 

"Hold on to that kiss?" Lockwood asked.

"Save the flirting, Lockwood." I told as I opened the door and got out. "Work to do." I shut the door and made my way to the hotel. With the biggest smile on my face.


	2. A New Type of Foe

It most interesting morning at Lockwood &Co. An America cop had come over the pond to looking for a fugitive. Scotland Yard had no real reason to go after her, so extradition you be a long time coming even if it comes up. Lucky for him she jumped bail; bad luck for him Scotland Yard don't care about bail jumpers. Lockwood was leading the interview with Holly besides him taking notes. I was lounging on the couch with my sketchpad touching up on the description that he gave us. We had her photo, but I had a tradition that we keep the sketches of our bounties. George, Flo, and Quill were wrapping up another case and they should be back soon.  
"So we get the bounty plus our daily rate if we take on this case?" Lockwood asked our client.  
"Yes. The bounty is small amount due to it being set for her...lesser crimes, but it still has some worth to it." The American told us as he drank our tea.  
"I would think corporate espionage would have pulled on a bigger bounty." Holly stated as she went over the initial file.  
"She was caught trespassing the office building. When she was being processed she played the jealous ex and had produce fake conversations between her and one of the office employees there." He set down the tea cup and had thanked us for it. "Upon investigation the man had collaborated with her. After the security breach was discovered we had reviewed the case and the poor sucker turned up dead." He stop as he pulled out a cigarette and asked if we minded. Lockwood turn him down and then he put it away.  
"And when you went looking for her she was already gone?" Lockwood asked the rhetorical question.  
The american nodded. "She had blackmailed the man into being her lackey. Now that she had want she he was just a loose end for her."   
Doing her sketch I could tell that she knew that she was beautiful and from this case she knew also how to use it too.  
"So will you take the case?" He had asked.   
Lockwood looked over to Holly. "The bounty is not bad. Although she does seem quite dangerous." She said to Lockwood.   
"Well I'm sure we will make the headlines somewhere. We will take it." Lockwood said as he stood up with his hand out.  
"Thanks for helping us." The American said as he stood up taking Lockwood's hand and shaking it. As they left the American had pulled out a card of the hotel he was staying at. Told us to leave a message when the job was done.   
As he was halfway out the door, Holly spoke up one last time. "Excuse me, but I hope you know that an American policeman has no jurisdiction over here."  
He looked back inside. "Its detective, and yes I do know." He turn and closed the door behind him.   
Holly and Lockwood came back into the room as I was putting on the final touches on the portrait. "Do you think he will go after her?" I asked when Lockwood sat down.   
"I don't think so. It seems like he was promised a vacation and this is what they meant be it." Lockwood said as he sat down. "If you do catch her, I wouldn't be surprised when we call him he will be at some pub finishing his last pint." Lockwood ran his fingers though his hair, he took a long breath in and exhaled it slowly. "I want all hands on this job. She killed even before this and she probably will again. We have to careful."  
"Careful like the Edgewall careful or Fittes careful? Holly asked as she gathered up the notes.   
"Fittes careful. Don't supposed Kat is back in town?" Lockwood said as he walked over to me and looked at my portrait.  
With Quill becoming a member of Lockwood &Co and the disappearance of the agencies, one Kat Godwin had applied to join us aswell.  
I was against it thinking she was just some poor puppy following Quill around, but thanks to his endorsement she got the job with us. Her cold professionalism wasn't a surprise, but it was when Quill was on the receiving end of it too.  
When we asked him about it he just shrugged and told us that how she always been. She fitted into the P.I. business quite well and she could pull her own weight, but then her secret girlfriend had asked her to merry her and she said yes. Everyone was shocked except for Holly and Quill; although Flo didn't care one way or the other. During the reception Kat had confessed, after a few too many, that she was attracted to me at first sight. Then I had opened my month and suddenly I wasn't so much.  
Lockwood and George had a good laugh, Holly was being polite, Flo was too busy with the food and drinks, Quill had made a remark that if I was more well mannered then maybe we be here celebrating something alittle different, and I was just too shock to really say anything but 'I like guys though' and she replied 'Well that's cause you never kissed a girl before'. Everyone cracked up at that. It was a good night.   
I lifted up my picture and showed it off to Lockwood. He kissed the top of my head and told me it was one of my best works yet. I started to touch up on the finer details of it.   
"I don't think I could handle her in her honeymoon phase." I said sitting up straighter to focus more on the portrait.   
"Its been three months do you think they still all lovely dovey?" Lockwood asked.  
"Cecilia would be, but I don't think Kat would be. Although last I had heard they just reach that place in American where people throw beads at girls and then they flashes the crowd..." Holly said as she began to build up our case notes for our new case.   
"I'm sure Kat will have a grand ol time there." I said getting up and walking to our bookcase. I pulled out a folder and opened it up to see all of our bounties we had over the years. I carefully ripped out the new addition and placed it in there.  
"I didn't know that she was quite the party animal when she let her hair down." Lockwood said as he sat down behind his desk. "Anyone we can call?"   
"We haven't been making any friends lately, or ever for that fact. We might be on our own." Holly said as she filed away the interview notes.  
"Right then I'm sure we will manage just fine." Lockwood said as he rolled up his sleeves. "Well I'm sure this will be no problem if we are careful as usual."

\---------------------------------------

Even though all a ghost has to do is touch you once and then you're dead, I still prefer fighting them to fighting the living. Visitors were, for the most part, slow and predictable and if they got too close just throw some iron and then you have some breathing room. Once you identified what you were dealing with you knew how do deal with it. All it came down was to keep calm and focus. Now when you fight a human, all that goes out the window. Everything goes, everyone different, nothing can prepare you for the next encounter. Which is where I'm in the middle of right now. The bounty was on top on me, breathing heavily, hair messed up, and eyes wild, choking me. Lockwood, Quill, and Flo were three rooms away dealing with with some local thugs and Geogre and Holly were waiting in the car for a quick getaway. I reach over to my right frantically looking for anything to use. My hand found one of the empty bottles in this VIP lounge. I grabbed it and smashed it against her head. She rolled off and I rolled away coughing and trying to get my breath back. We both stood up shakily and looked at each other.  
"Do. You. Think. You. Are. Going. To catch. Me?" She said leaning on a chair for support trying to catch her breath with some blood running down the side on her head.  
I lifted up the broken bottle and pointed it at her. Over the years I had gotten better at one liners and quips during chases and fights, but right now I could only breathe and not fall over. Thankfully Flo came in the door, alittle beat up, but better then either on of us. "Sorry girls, but the VIP rooms are only for the best and clearly either one of you don't make the list."  
The bounty looked over at her and me. Then she just put up her hands and gave up.   
A sloppy exit though the back door and jumping in our car and we were away, but not after a bottle was thrown against our car. We made it to a police station to turn in the bounty.  
We were in the middle of police station Holly patching us up, she was the best out of all of us, when Lockwood was called to the back. I went with him. We were escorted to the police chief office where our 'good friend' Chief Montagu Barnes was sitting behind the desk. "I had hoped when DEPRAC was closed down due the Problem going away I never had to deal with your lot again, but I guess we don't always get what we want do we?" He looked the same expect for some grey creeping in his hair and some wrinkles around his eyes.   
"But Inspector Barnes we missed you so. How else are we going to catch up on the latest gossip?" Lockwood said holding an ice pack to his jaw. My throat still hurt from the choking so I opted to stay silent.  
"I'm sure we will manage." He said as he got up and went to his cabinet and pulled out a bottle and three mismatched mugs. "So have you stopped trying to kill yourself or are you still pushing your luck?" He poured some liquor for us and handed it us. We took it and drank from them, I'm sure we both needed it.  
"We are getting more careful Inspector. Tonight just so happened to be an off night for us." Lockwood said.  
I spoke though the slight pain. "How the girlfriend?" It came quite and horse.  
"It's going just as well as any other relationship I I supposed. Well that's enough chit chat. Interpol has stepped in is going to be taking your latest catch in. Seems she has quite the record on her."  
"We have a bounty in America to turn in." Lockwood spoke up immediately.  
"And I have a wedding to go on the day my team plays for the division." Barnes shot back.   
"Does Interpol have bounty for her?"  
I asked.  
"No."  
"This why we don't hang out more often; you always give us bad news." Lockwood said as he takes another drink.   
"And there is the damages of club where you trashed to get her." He added.  
Lockwood and I just stayed slient.   
"It's unfortunate that those ruffians got away isn't?" He said finishing his drink.   
"Yeah. Bad luck is going around isn't." Lockwood said as he finished his. I followed them despite the throat pain.   
Barnes stood up and showed us back to waiting room. "Next time you guys want to stop by for a vist: Don't." He said as he opened the door for us.  
"We will be seeing you later Inspector." Lockwood said patting him on his shoulder before walking though.   
We went back to Portland Row where Holly called the American detective's hotel that the job was done and Lockwood had broke the news to the rest.  
"So we're getting paid less? Fantastic." Quill put in.  
"At least you guys aren't getting fined for the damages that you have caused to the club." Geogre said with Flo's head resting in his lap.  
"What do you mean 'you guys'? You're apart of this as anyone one of us." Flo said pinching George's arm.  
"I don't know what you are talking about. I wasn't even close to the place. It was you four."  
"Well you would have helped cause we are a group." Lockwood said sitting behind his desk with his legs on it. The swelling of his face has done down, but was still there. "Anyways as always let's give three cheers for Luce: for taking-"  
"Almost." Flo cut in.   
"-almost taking down the bounty."   
Everyone gave a half heated cheer for me as I lay down on the couch counting down till everyone is gone and Lockwood and I can go to bed.   
Holly came with some good news. "The detective will be by tomorrow and told us that he going to tip us alittle extra due to Interpol poaching our bounty." This earned some actually cheering compared to the one that I got.   
I looked over to the plaque on the wall where mine and Lockwood's old rapiers crossed over an image of phantismal face making a rude face. I was hit with a rush of sadness since it was Skull who was the face. "I miss hunting ghosts." I said outloud to the group. No one said anything for while. Soon afterwards everyone started to go home after a long day of working. Lockwood and I soon went to bed after the last person left and got a well earned rest. Before I fell asleep I heard Lockwood say.  
"I miss hunting ghost too."


End file.
